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Plants
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Plant Systems and Application
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Plant Systems and Application

A special issue of Plants (ISSN 2223-7747). This special issue belongs to the section "Plant Molecular Biology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 July 2020) | Viewed by 24899

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Yukio Kurihara

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Synthetic Genomics Research Group, RIKEN Center for Sustainable Resource Science, 1-7-22, Suehiro-cho, Tsurumi-ku, Yokohama, Kanagawa 230-0045, Japan
Interests: plant genomics; gene regulation; RNA decay; light response; Arabidopsis thaliana; Hevea brasiliensis

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Plants, unlike animals, cannot move to different places by themselves. In order to adapt to new environments, plants equip themselves with and utilize unique sophisticated systems for gene expression regulation. Some of these work at the transcriptional, post-transcriptional, and translational levels.

“Gene expression” means a series of processes including transcription, translation, and execution of protein function. Transcription is regulated by possible interactions among transcription factors, epigenetic marks, and transcriptional machinery. After transcription, transcripts are frequently subjected to modifications and processings such as 5’ capping, splicing, and addition of chemical marks. Subsequently, ribosomes decode coding information on the mRNA transcripts into proteins. Furthermore, many factors such as small RNAs and selective RNA decay systems also determine the gene expression state under certain conditions, and environmental and developmental changes affect and alter the gene expression state. The diverse aspects of these still remain to be fully clarified, however.

Meanwhile, we have been making creative efforts to use some gene expression systems as applications to improve bioproduction rates and/or add novel properties into plants. This Special Issue covers a broad range of gene expression studies, including basic investigations, recent technical advances for controlling gene expression, and applications for bioproduction or improvement.

Dr. Yukio Kurihara
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Plants is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2700 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • Regulation of gene expression
  • Transcription factor
  • Environmental response
  • Epigenetics
  • RNA
  • Genome editing
  • Technique
  • Bioproduction

Published Papers (6 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 3894 KiB  
Article
Knockout of SlMS10 Gene (Solyc02g079810) Encoding bHLH Transcription Factor Using CRISPR/Cas9 System Confers Male Sterility Phenotype in Tomato
by Yu Jin Jung, Dong Hyun Kim, Hyo Ju Lee, Ki Hong Nam, Sangsu Bae, Ill Sup Nou, Yong-Gu Cho, Myong Kwon Kim and Kwon Kyoo Kang
Plants 2020, 9(9), 1189; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091189 - 11 Sep 2020
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 4811
Abstract
The utilization of male sterility into hybrid seed production reduces its cost and ensures high purity of tomato varieties because it does not produce pollen and has exserted stigmas. Here, we report on the generation of gene edited lines into male sterility phenotype [...] Read more.
The utilization of male sterility into hybrid seed production reduces its cost and ensures high purity of tomato varieties because it does not produce pollen and has exserted stigmas. Here, we report on the generation of gene edited lines into male sterility phenotype by knockout of SlMS10 gene (Solyc02g079810) encoding the bHLH transcription factor that regulates meiosis and cell death of the tapetum during microsporogenesis in the tomato. Twenty-eight gene edited lines out of 60 transgenic plants were selected. Of these, eleven different mutation types at the target site of the SlMS10 gene were selected through deep sequencing analysis. These mutations were confirmed to be transmitted to subsequent generations. The null lines without the transferred DNA (T-DNA) were obtained by segregation in the T1 and T2 generations. In addition, we showed that the cr-ms10-1-4 mutant line exhibited dysfunctional meiosis and abnormal tapetum during flower development, resulting in no pollen production. RT-PCR analysis showed that the most genes associated with pollen and tapetum development in tomatoes had lower expression in the cr-ms10-1-4 mutant line compared to wild type. We demonstrate that modification of the SlMS10 gene via CRISPR/Cas9-mediated genome editing results in male sterility of tomato plants. Our results suggest an alternative approach to generating male sterility in crops. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Systems and Application)
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9 pages, 1641 KiB  
Article
I-SceI Endonuclease-Mediated Plant Genome Editing by Protein Transport through a Bacterial Type III Secretion System
by Yuki Yanagawa, Kasumi Takeuchi, Masaki Endo, Ayako Furutani, Hirokazu Ochiai, Seiichi Toki and Ichiro Mitsuhara
Plants 2020, 9(9), 1070; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9091070 - 20 Aug 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2543
Abstract
Xanthomonas campestris is one of bacteria carrying a type III secretion system which transports their effector proteins into host plant cells to disturb host defense system for their infection. To establish a genome editing system without introducing any foreign gene, we attempted to [...] Read more.
Xanthomonas campestris is one of bacteria carrying a type III secretion system which transports their effector proteins into host plant cells to disturb host defense system for their infection. To establish a genome editing system without introducing any foreign gene, we attempted to introduce genome editing enzymes through the type III secretion system. In a test of protein transfer, X. campestris pv. campestris (Xcc) transported a considerable amount of a reporter protein sGFP-CyaA into tobacco plant cells under the control of the type III secretion system while maintaining cell viability. For proof of concept for genome editing, we used a reporter tobacco plant containing a luciferase (LUC) gene interrupted by a meganuclease I-SceI recognition sequence; this plant exhibits chemiluminescence of LUC only when a frameshift mutation is introduced at the I-SceI recognition site. Luciferase signal was observed in tobacco leaves infected by Xcc carrying an I-SceI gene which secretes I-SceI protein through the type III system, but not leaves infected by Xcc carrying a vector control. Genome-edited tobacco plant could be regenerated from a piece of infected leaf piece by repeated selection of LUC positive calli. Sequence analysis revealed that the regenerated tobacco plant possessed a base deletion in the I-SceI recognition sequence that activated the LUC gene, indicating genome editing by I-SceI protein transferred through the type III secretion system of Xcc. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Systems and Application)
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16 pages, 3411 KiB  
Article
Leaf Trichome Distribution Pattern in Arabidopsis Reveals Gene Expression Variation Associated with Environmental Adaptation
by Shotaro Okamoto, Kohei Negishi, Yuko Toyama, Takeo Ushijima and Kengo Morohashi
Plants 2020, 9(7), 909; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9070909 - 17 Jul 2020
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 3517
Abstract
Gene expression varies stochastically even in both heterogenous and homogeneous cell populations. This variation is not simply useless noise; rather, it is important for many biological processes. Unicellular organisms or cultured cell lines are useful for analyzing the variation in gene expression between [...] Read more.
Gene expression varies stochastically even in both heterogenous and homogeneous cell populations. This variation is not simply useless noise; rather, it is important for many biological processes. Unicellular organisms or cultured cell lines are useful for analyzing the variation in gene expression between cells; however, owing to technical challenges, the biological relevance of this variation in multicellular organisms such as higher plants remain unclear. Here, we addressed the biological relevance of this variation between cells by examining the genetic basis of trichome distribution patterns in Arabidopsis thaliana. The distribution pattern of a trichome on a leaf is stochastic and can be mathematically represented using Turing’s reaction-diffusion (RD) model. We analyzed simulations based on the RD model and found that the variability in the trichome distribution pattern increased with the increase in stochastic variation in a particular gene expression. Moreover, differences in heat-dependent variability of the trichome distribution pattern between the accessions showed a strong correlation with environmental factors to which each accession was adapted. Taken together, we successfully visualized variations in gene expression by quantifying the variability in the Arabidopsis trichome distribution pattern. Thus, our data provide evidence for the biological importance of variations in gene expression for environmental adaptation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Systems and Application)
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13 pages, 2519 KiB  
Article
Regulatory Potential of bHLH-Type Transcription Factors on the Road to Rubber Biosynthesis in Hevea brasiliensis
by Tomoko Yamaguchi, Yukio Kurihara, Yuko Makita, Emiko Okubo-Kurihara, Ami Kageyama, Emi Osada, Setsuko Shimada, Hiroko Tsuchida, Hiroaki Shimada and Minami Matsui
Plants 2020, 9(6), 674; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9060674 - 26 May 2020
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2486
Abstract
Natural rubber is the main component of latex obtained from laticifer cells of Hevea brasiliensis. For improving rubber yield, it is essential to understand the genetic molecular mechanisms responsible for laticifer differentiation and rubber biosynthesis. Jasmonate enhances both secondary laticifer differentiation and [...] Read more.
Natural rubber is the main component of latex obtained from laticifer cells of Hevea brasiliensis. For improving rubber yield, it is essential to understand the genetic molecular mechanisms responsible for laticifer differentiation and rubber biosynthesis. Jasmonate enhances both secondary laticifer differentiation and rubber biosynthesis. Here, we carried out time-course RNA-seq analysis in suspension-cultured cells treated with methyljasmonic acid (MeJA) to characterize the gene expression profile. Gene Ontology (GO) analysis showed that the term “cell differentiation” was enriched in upregulated genes at 24 h after treatment, but inversely, the term was enriched in downregulated genes at 5 days, indicating that MeJA could induce cell differentiation at an early stage of the response. Jasmonate signaling is activated by MYC2, a basic helix–loop–helix (bHLH)-type transcription factor (TF). The aim of this work was to find any links between transcriptomic changes after MeJA application and regulation by TFs. Using an in vitro binding assay, we traced candidate genes throughout the whole genome that were targeted by four bHLH TFs: Hb_MYC2-1, Hb_MYC2-2, Hb_bHLH1, and Hb_bHLH2. The latter two are highly expressed in laticifer cells. Their physical binding sites were found in the promoter regions of a variety of other TF genes, which are differentially expressed upon MeJA exposure, and rubber biogenesis-related genes including SRPP1 and REF3. These studies suggest the possibilities that Hb_MYC2-1 and Hb_MYC2-2 regulate cell differentiation and that Hb_bHLH1 and Hb_bHLH2 promote rubber biosynthesis. We expect that our findings will help to increase natural rubber yield through genetic control in the future. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Systems and Application)
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12 pages, 2153 KiB  
Article
The Progression of Xylem Vessel Cell Differentiation is Dependent on the Activity Level of VND7 in Arabidopsis thaliana
by Risaku Hirai, Takumi Higaki, Yuto Takenaka, Yuki Sakamoto, Junko Hasegawa, Sachihiro Matsunaga, Taku Demura and Misato Ohtani
Plants 2020, 9(1), 39; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9010039 - 25 Dec 2019
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 5863
Abstract
Xylem vessels are important for water conduction in vascular plants. The VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN (VND) family proteins, master regulators of xylem vessel cell differentiation in Arabidopsis thaliana, can upregulate a set of genes required for xylem vessel cell differentiation, including those involved in [...] Read more.
Xylem vessels are important for water conduction in vascular plants. The VASCULAR-RELATED NAC-DOMAIN (VND) family proteins, master regulators of xylem vessel cell differentiation in Arabidopsis thaliana, can upregulate a set of genes required for xylem vessel cell differentiation, including those involved in secondary cell wall (SCW) formation and programmed cell death (PCD); however, it is not fully understood how VND activity levels influence these processes. Here, we examined the Arabidopsis VND7-VP16-GR line, in which VND7 activity is post-translationally activated by treatments with different concentrations of dexamethasone (DEX), a synthetic glucocorticoid. Our observations showed that 1 nM DEX induced weak SCW deposition, but not PCD, whereas 10 or 100 nM DEX induced both SCW deposition and PCD. The decreased chlorophyll contents and SCW deposition were apparent after 24 h of 100 nM DEX treatment, but became evident only after 48 h of 10 nM DEX treatment. Moreover, the lower DEX concentrations delayed the upregulation of VND7 downstream genes, and decreased their induction levels. They collectively suggest that the regulation of VND activity is important not only to initiate xylem vessel cell differentiation, but also regulate the quality of the xylem vessels through VND-activity-dependent upregulation of the PCD- and SCW-related genes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Systems and Application)
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Review

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8 pages, 1167 KiB  
Review
uORF Shuffling Fine-Tunes Gene Expression at a Deep Level of the Process
by Yukio Kurihara
Plants 2020, 9(5), 608; https://doi.org/10.3390/plants9050608 - 11 May 2020
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 4981
Abstract
Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) are present in the 5’ leader sequences (or 5’ untranslated regions) upstream of the protein-coding main ORFs (mORFs) in eukaryotic polycistronic mRNA. It is well known that a uORF negatively affects translation of the mORF. Emerging ribosome profiling [...] Read more.
Upstream open reading frames (uORFs) are present in the 5’ leader sequences (or 5’ untranslated regions) upstream of the protein-coding main ORFs (mORFs) in eukaryotic polycistronic mRNA. It is well known that a uORF negatively affects translation of the mORF. Emerging ribosome profiling approaches have revealed that uORFs themselves, as well as downstream mORFs, can be translated. However, it has also been revealed that plants can fine-tune gene expression by modulating uORF-mediated regulation in some situations. This article reviews several proposed mechanisms that enable genes to escape from uORF-mediated negative regulation and gives insight into the application of uORF-mediated regulation for precisely controlling gene expression. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Plant Systems and Application)
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